Resonance
by VanillaSpiders
Summary: A routine search for autobots is sent dangerously off the rails. Now, Optimus Prime must fight for his and Cade Yeager's survival. Cade himself must fight a far harder battle, and discover what it truly means to have Optimus Prime as his guardian. barn husbands, post!TLK, sparkbonding, medium burn, on A03, updates weekly.
1. Nightway

_Author's Notes: Lord, I didn't even know where I wanted to go with this until I decided I just wanted a study of Prime and Cade together. The events of TLK happened. Sort of. Cybertron isn't part of earth (or acting as its moon, what the fuck Bay?). Ignoring Unicron's entire plot for now. Know that earth isn't a super huge mess, and that Optimus stayed on Earth with the rest of the bots. They all kinda moved onto the Yeager property. Everyone's still dead who died (sorry) unless I can't remember so some cons might be alive that shouldn't be. This is really just me playing in a half baked sandbox with some half baked ideas. There needs to be more barn husbands out there._

* * *

_"If you don't know where you are going, then any road can take you there." ― Lewis Carroll _

**Chapter 1: Nightway**

Optimus Prime was a bit worried.

The entire night of the travel had been largely silent. It was interrupted only by the stutter of stone under his tires and the mild thrums of his engines as he plowed down the long, dark back road. They were in some winding, bumpy Midwest state, with few homesteads and even fewer people. The sun had slipped into the west as gracefully as it usually did, so only a streak of sherbet red and orange was left behind. The twilight was fading, and space would soon be visible through earth's atmosphere. Were they back home, at the Yeager homestead and the Autobot's compound that circled around it, he would be settling under the big oak tree to watch the stars come out. Instead he drove onward.

Stretched out across the wide seat of the peterbilt was Cade Yeager's prone form, hat over his eyes and apparently asleep. He swayed with the cab's soft rocking, but the bench had become more familiar to him than his own bed, and Optimus rarely saw Cade sleep so well anywhere else. It was rather touching, the deep seated trust Cade so often displayed in him.

Optimus turned his attention back toward the tarmac, flicking on his high beams to illuminate the road that yawned before them. His worries were coming back, dogged and nipping at his drives. Some came from his memory files, some from his instincts and more still from his spark. The last place was worrying all on its own—a Prime wasn't inclined to be flighty or nervous, or at the very least they should hide it well. He would have to school his features if he came out of alt mode on this trip—Cade would sense his unease in a second and poke and prod until the Prime came clean. Such discussions and soul-bearing were perfectly fine in the safety of the lab, but here and now, no.

They passed another semi. Prime had no fear at raising suspicion. He did turn off his highs, but knew his remaining headlights would keep his windshield dark, as Cade was slouched out of sight. Besides, Prime rarely had trouble with other semis, as their drivers were generally the most welcoming ones on the road when they saw him coming. Prime noticed the incoming transmission and opened the line.

"_Gotta local yokel a few miles back," _Prime's radio picked up the signal of the passing semi, who was hauling a large load. " _Shouldn't give you trouble, 3s and 8s." _

_"Copy. 3s and 8s." _Optimus said back politely, well versed to CB speak after his time on Earth. As they crossed by one another, Prime threw his high beams back on. The night seemed to be trying to smother the lights out.

That was the last sign of life they saw, despite the previous comment from the other driver.

The calm, almost gentle night was nearly lulling Prime into stasis. Humans called it 'highway hypnosis' and while it rarely affected the autobots, there was a certain numbness ones systems could feel if running too long. Cade had eaten at the last rest stop, and Optimus had never caught on to the taste of diesel, so they had been driving for over five hours by now.

He let the miles climb up before sending another call through his scanners and his radio. He waited, slowing to a more conservative speed as he listened to the radio waves, hopeful and patient. But growing wearier with each passing second.

Nothing but static.

This time, he didn't bother hiding his disappointed grumble.

"Nuthin' yet, huh big rig?" Cade's voice was little more than a sleepy mutter, and Prime's irritation grew stronger, but focused more onto himself than his human.

"I hadn't meant to wake you, Cade. My apologies." He went for formal, very nearly forgetting to keep his synthesizer in english. Cade understood enough cybertronian, but had told him the noise was jarring if he wasn't expecting it. ("_Fucken lord—its like dialup and a wood chipper had a baby…just, keep it at a low volume and speak slow, okay?") _

"Ehh, I wasn't asleep. Dozing, kind of." Cade sat up swinging his legs to the floor and ending up in the passenger seat. Rubbing his face tiredly and yawning, the human hopped over until he was in the driver's seat, but he stayed away from the wheel and pedals.

They passed the next few miles in relative silence. Cade read a highway sign illuminated by Prime's high beams that told him they were close to the grand canyon again.

They certainly seemed to be. It reminded Optimus of the place they had met the few remaining autobots before they stormed KSI. It was so much darker than only a few hours ago, the lack of moonlight helping the darkness spread.

Suddenly, Prime's engine came off the gas and he began to slow, but had yet to apply the brakes.

"Got something?" Cade surmised as he turned his attention into the cab's interior. He usually looked at the radio or the wheel, if he bothered to look at all. In alt mode, it wasn't like Prime had a face to focus on. Optimus didn't answer for several beats, causing Cade to almost repeat his question until the Prime spoke up.

"A signal…it's muted, though. _Muffled _." Optimus tried to explain as he slowed to a crawl. Cade had no physical gestures to study aside from the fact Prime's tires suddenly started pointing them toward the west. The highway lay before them, apparently another 21 miles to some small town Cade had never heard of. When Cade looked to the west, he saw nothing but flat, tired earth and jutting crags miles away. The canyon was somewhere near, but it was impossible to see where the drop offs were at night. Cade didn't bother worrying about that, though. Prime would know where to drive and where not to.

"We going off roading, Optimus?" Cade smirked, leaning out the window a little to get some fresh air. "Nothing but rocks and dirt out here, huh? Kinda boring."

"And provides little cover if we're attacked." Prime pointed out, sounding hesitant.

Cade blinked, that didn't sound like the autobot leader he knew. At least—Prime's bad days were few and far between. Cade did see them more than others, but they were easy to forget. The big guy wasn't a Prime for nothing.

"It'll be good, buddy. I got your back." Cade offered, then made a face. "Of course, if you wanna call for Bee and wait for backup we can…I know I'm not much." Cade had never had confidence issues before when it came to his own abilities. But then, he also hadn't seen the fights between the massive metal aliens until his current years. His biggest worries used to be if he was raising Tessa right, not an intergalactic civil war among giants. Those same worries also now included having to come to terms with the fact the leader of the Autobots—who never 'choose a human' like the others tended to do—had apparently chosen _him _, of all people.

"You are more than capable of 'having my back.'" Optimus grunted almost immediately, sounding too sincere to be blowing smoke up Cade's ass. "I just…feel something _strange _about this signal. I'm not sure its autobot."

"Decepticon, then?" Cade asked.

"Mm, no. It doesn't feel like that, either." Prime said.

"Maybe it's one of KSI's projects? I thought that moron had them all accounted for, but if one got smart and escaped the place-escaped Megatron's hold…maybe it's hiding out here? It prolly thinks it's one of you guys. That would explain why you can't get a read on it, and it might be moving away from us, too." Cade pointed out. He finally scooted further into Prime's driver seat and took hold of the wheel.

Prime remained silent.

"Look, Optimus, we go a few miles, check it out. Usual recon. You hear or see anything you don't like, we turn around and make tracks back for the highway. Come back with reinforcements, maybe." Cade figured if Prime wasn't going to decide for them then he might as well.

He pressed the gas, but had the courtesy to be gentle about it. And besides, Prime wouldn't move if he truly didn't think it was safe.

After a moment the semi began inching back up to speed. It slipped over the tarmac and onto the earth, shifting in ways no earth vehicle was capable of. As Optimus accounted for the new terrain under his tires, he continued letting Cade steer him.

"All good points, Cade." Prime praised, causing the man to grin in embarrassment. "We will take it slow, and hope for the best."

"All you can do, sometimes, big rig." Cade hummed, patting the steering wheel and hoping he hadn't imagined the rumbling purr from Optimus' engine when he did so.

The trip over the rocky terrain was different, but not impossible for an autobot. Optimus changed courses a few times, guiding Cade more than commanding him. The night grew thicker, deeper, but Prime's high beams warded away the unsettling darkness. Cade knew that Prime could see without light, so he wasn't worried. He listened for any noise from Prime's radio, but could not pick up what Optimus was hearing no matter how hard he tired.

A sudden lurch brought Cade from his wandering thoughts as Prime suddenly turned, changing course a bit too sharply.

"_ Steady _, Prime-" Cade gasped, letting go of the wheel when it wrenched from his hands.

"It's this way. It's getting stronger." Optimus answered, sounding rather distracted. "It's a distress call."

"No wonder you sound so worried." Cade mumbled, more to himself than his guardian.

Suddenly the semi hit the brakes, and the driver's side door swung pointedly open.

"I need to transform." Optimus said, and Cade obediently exited the autobot's alt form.

"Don't leave me without any light, okay?" Cade asked as he waited for Prime to finish transforming. His eyes adjusted slowly, and Cade could make out a twisting, winding trail that lead down along the canyonside.

"Steep." Cade remarked, but noticed the man made trail signs. Optimus nodded, shining his still exposed headlights toward the sign so Cade could read it for himself.

"Caution-watch for falling rocks.' Gee, shocker. Okay, it doesn't say 'unfit for walking' so…" Cade shrugged and started picking his way down the wide path. It was wide enough for Optimus, which he found oddly convenient.

"You coming, big guy?" Cade called back when he noticed his friend was hesitating.

"Hnn...yes. Sorry."

Prime followed Cade deeper into the gorge, both worried and excited at the prospect of finding another autobot. Even a 'man made' one from KSI might even be welcome among the ranks, provided they behaved. Optimus had enough of humans and their violent desires to control everything-Cade wasn't like that, despite his clear fear over his daughter. The dating rule had lifted once she walked the stage, and though Cade remained protective, he wasn't controlling. He hadn't tried to control Optimus either, he hadn't taken the power Excalibur granted him and instead removed the medallion unless he absolutely needed it.

But not all humans were like Cade Yeager. Cade Yeager gave second, and third and sometimes fourth chances when he decided it was worth it.

And being centuries old— but having lived a longer lifetime being threatened by humans, it seemed—Optimus Prime was not in the mood to give second chances to humans anymore. It had come back around to bite him in the aft often enough, and he was sick of it. Ratchet would say he had wisened up-Ironhide would say he had toughened up. Optimus wasn't sure which one of them would have been right.

"You're _sure _the signal came from these parts?" Cade asked a second time, starting to sound apprehensive.

They stood on the floor of the massive, football field length gorge, the glaciers that carved it long gone. Not a sound, no owls or crickets or anything, even the wind was silent down here.

"I am." Optimus rumbled back softly, suddenly thinking he should have had Cade wait somewhere else, somewhere safe. Even a small, abandoned gas station in the middle of nowhere where would be appreciated right now.

Cade nosed around, inspecting the area with caution but soon forgetting any danger when he saw the soft blink of a red light.

"Prime! Over here," Cade called as he jogged for the pile of rocks. He only noticed it because it was so dark, but by the time he neared it, Cade halted in confusion.

"...a tracking device? It's man-made. KSI's, I guess." Though he wouldn't know until he took it apart. KSI signed their work, after all. The hairs on the back of Cade's neck stood end, and he stood up slowly, tense.

"...so what's it doing _here?"_

Cade listened for the sounds of nature, then listened to Optimus' metal steps against the earth as he walked closer to the inventor's position.

He noticed the change in pitch too late.

"Wait—wait, Optimus _don't—" _ Cade turned, just as he heard and saw a deep crack blossom between them.

The lower shelf of the canyon was _not _solid, as the signs on the earlier trail had said. It was in fact, quite the opposite, and just as Optimus made it to the middle of the deep ravine, the ground began giving under the pressure of the Prime's weight. The cracks seemed to sense any additional weight, as they were blossoming under Cade's boots, too. Prime staggered heavily, fighting to keep his balance.

"_Fucking— _" Cade instinctively started stepping back, realizing too late he was putting space between him and the big guy. Optimus was moving too, surprise and anger on his metal features as he stumbled from the roughening ground.

This was a trap, something the two of them realized it almost at the same time.

The ground beneath them was giving away, cracking and splintering like so many sheets of ice. The earth, weak as it was under Cade's boots, was ten times worse under Optimus' steel feet. And Cade was immediately focused on his guardian's position, knowing that no matter what happened, Optimus was the one who was able to fly—but might not if he couldn't get to Cade.

"Get outta here!" Cade roared up to the transformer, who turned and gave him such a look.

"Not without you—" Prime is interrupted by another horrible sound of earth grating against earth. He's sinking, rapidly, and the towering creature staggers up to what was once higher ground. That too, begins to lower, the uneven shelf above them starting to crumble and pour down in buckets of stone and rocks. There were no edges left to run to, the lip of the trail was high above them and getting higher.

"Activate your fucking hyperdrive and _get _, Optimus I swear to-look—I'll be fine!" Cade wondered if he sounded as scared as he was feeling.

"Cade-!" Optimus bellowed, metal fingers stretching as, finally, the earth splits and opens. Into darkness, into empty space.

All of Prime's instincts are useful, even the ones screaming to get upward into the sky. But he wasn't about to leave the human who had fixed him, who was there for Optimus when he had no one.

Cade was aware of pounding, of the sensation of falling, and of rocks and earth scrapping and hitting him as he fell deeper into the canyon.

He was also aware of the thudding, broken metal footfalls and the sound of rocket boosters igniting somewhere to his left. Good—at least one of them would make it out of here and be able to fuck up the decepticon that lured them into this trap.

Metal hands enclosed around him, his head hitting Prime's thumb just the wrong way—and Cade's light go out.

Darkness.

* * *

When Cade opened his eyes, he became aware of a million small things at once. Tense. Pain. Tight. Warm—_ too _warm, like he was sitting near an open oven. Sweat, dirt and the odd, metallic scent that had become as familiar to him as his own face. He squeezed his eyes shut in an instant, sucking in painful and dusty lungfuls of air. This brought on a coughing fit, and it was then the ground Cade was laying on began to move. He shifted, feeling that strange, hot metal beneath his skin and realized no earth was that powerful, that warm. The motion was only to flex further around him, his body now pressed protectively into steel plating. The engineer's hands ran over the grooves and nicks that resembled scars and Cade instantly relaxed further into the mighty hands cupped around him. Okay. That answered the question of 'how the fuck was he still alive?' Answer: Optimus Prime.

What else was new?

He rolled over, with great effort, biting on his tongue until he tasted blood. A throbbing noggin, and a body so sore and stiff he felt like Hound had run him over in alt mode. No breaks, maybe bruised ribs, but nothing that would kill him right here in Prime's protective grip.

Cade opened his eyes, expecting to see light.

Darkness. Almost _so _dark he felt a strange, unbidden sense of claustrophobia set in. He knew where he was in the general sense—safe in Prime's grip—but he also was aware he couldn't see a trace natural or artificial light. He had no idea of the state the Prime was in, or what was around the downed autobot. And Optimus' optics gave off enough light to read by in the barn at night. So that lack of that gentle, luminous blue light was causing anxiety to broil in the human's chest. Had Prime been knocked out, too? Cade groaned, squinting until he could make out shapes beyond the cage of fingers. Coughing out the last of the dirt from his mouth, Cade sat up and pushed an arm between one of the few breaks in Prime's fingers. His hand met smooth, wide plating and when his fingers hit the cool glass that was one of Prime's chest plates, Cade better realized the situation.

"Prime? Prime, hey! Optimus, I…no sleepin' on the job-" He cleared his throat, and began calling louder when he realized the living, moving machine was not doing very much moving.

"Shit, c'mon pal. This isn't funny…" Not that Prime was one to make jokes. Or laugh at them. Cade felt his heart rate pick up until it was causing his head to throb worse. He finally smacked his small palms against the metal ones wrapped around him.

A groan answered him, _finally _, and an answering whine of metal as Optimus started shifting. His body scraped the earth as he rolled out of his curled up position and unfurled one set of fingers. Cade was lifted up and into a soft glow of light, and he stared across the Prime's chest plates into that strange, metal face. Cade's hands fell under him to stop himself from face planting into the mech's chest. Optimus was now laying almost on his back, and from this position Cade realized he had landed face down, tucked up around his hands, around Cade.

The outer plating of armor on a Transformer was harder than any other piece on their bodies. The thickest casings were shoulders, then arms and backs. If a Transformer was to take serious damage, be it battle or a fall, they would shield themselves with their own forearms, and assure the worst damage was done to their metal spines, which were strongest when flattened and tucked down like the plates of a suit of armor. A Transformer that allowed it's chest cavity to be cracked was setting themselves up for serious vulnerability-their sparks were their souls and their batteries. Optimus had ignored all this, ignored his natural reflexes, and allowed himself to land face down. He could have cracked his chest plating, could have punctured the hollow cavity that housed and protected his spark. Could have done any number of injury-!

Yet Optimus had chosen this position, to protect Cade.

The bot's optics shuttered open, metal eyelids parting with a few tired flicks before the usual brightness faded back to full strength. They immediately focused onto the inventor. Cade exhaled sharply, sagging in relief.

"…damn, you look like hell." The man blurted before he could stop himself.

Optimus' features shifted toward faint amusement, a brow quirking at him before the Prime let his head rest back, staring up at the new ceiling. Cade looked up too, but a wave of dizziness stopped that real quick, and he quickly went back to staring at Prime's chin.

"We are trapped." Came a low rumble after a beat of silence.

"Yeah." Cade said slowly, looking around but not seeing much. "Yeah, I can see that. Sorta. Uh…hey, what about your communications link?"

Optimus looked back down to him, then shifted his head so Cade could see the damage done to one of his elegant, slender horns that more or less served as ears for the autobots. Cade hissed in pained sympathy, deflating. It was horribly bent, at an odd angle that Cade just _knew _wasn't good. To say nothing of the discomfort it was likely giving the proud behemoth. Once he could stand without wanting to hurl, Cade would need to take a look at it. He couldn't fix it without all his tools, but he could maybe remove it, because it was likely causing more pain dangling like that.

"Okay. So, we're trapped, and no way to let anyone know where we are. Right. Awesome." Cade looked behind him, leaning on Prime's raised fingers when he felt a faint breeze.

"Good news, though, I think this cavern is still connected to the canyon—I mean, there's air flow coming from…_ somewhere _, right? I can breathe. Can't see shit, but I can breathe." A good sign. Optimus didn't answer, which wasn't necessarily new. But the silence seemed different than usual. More tense. Cade wasn't used to it, and he didn't like it.

Optimus was a take-charge kind of guy, and to be honest, so was Cade. Rarely did the two of them not have some sort of plan brewing. But something was…_ off_, and Prime seemed uncharacteristically hesitant.

Of course, he also just had a ton of rock bed _come down on top of him, _and turn a gorge into a cave. That would rattle anyone's nerves, autobot or not.

"Anything busted? Besides, y'know," Cade gestured inarticulately toward his own right ear, waiting for Optimus to answer.

"Nothing critical, no." Optimus said back, finally opening his hand further. "And you? You're sure-"

"_Yes_, I'm sure. Sure as the heart attack I almost had on the way down." Cade gripped, but it was his usual half-hearted comeback. Bringing himself reluctantly back to the present, Cade hissed and rolled over, pushing his palm against the large, flat plating of the Prime's own hand.

"Lemme up, big rig." Cade muttered, and Optimus obediently withdrew the hand over Cade.

"You should be careful, in case of a more serious injury—shock is a very strong reaction and—"

"Optimus—fuck, just, lower the volume for a sec." Cade snapped, but instantly regretted it when the Prime fell silent. The Prime had saved his life, at the risk of his own and it certainly wasn't the first time. But Optimus had never seemed so…intense during the aftermath. For a moment, it felt like Optimus wouldn't even let Cade out of his grip. Maybe because the other autobots were usually around to keep him at ease? Cade frowned and filed the worry away for later, then turned to the giant whose hand he was almost out of.

"My head hurts, _everything _hurts but…nothing's broken. I'm certainly in better shape than you, it looks like." It was almost as far as Cade would take his scolding. His gaze melted, because he looked up into those glowing blue optics. Optimus was only in this shape because he had stayed behind to protect the human. Cade was grateful, but frustrated and riddled with guilt like the many dents in Prime's metal hide. Like it always did, his frustration come out as jabbing anger.

"I told you to get the hell out of here, I thought. Your audio processor busted _before _we broke the dance floor? Huh?"

"I was not going to leave you here to **die**." Optimus grumbled, actually grumbled, right back at him. "After everything-you should know me better by now, Cade Yeager."

"Don't you 'Cade Yeager' me, pal." Cade grunted, huffing and puffing as he tried to get down off Prime to the ground. It didn't work, because Prime's free hand snatched him and lifted him right up to that metal face. Prime's optics were an intense shade, causing Cade's breath to catch in his throat as the two had a sudden stare down.

"I apologize for scaring you. But I will **not **apologize for protecting you." Optimus spoke calmly, but lowly. "Not now, not ever."

Cade gaped like a fish for a second, caught off guard at the sudden shift in tone. He half blinked, finally letting himself lean forward, small warm palms on either of Prime's cheeks. Cade didn't miss the way Optimus' glare softened upon the contact.

"Y-yeah. I-look, same to you, Optimus. I...wouldn't leave you either." Cade swallowed, hoping to blame his misty eyes on the dirt in the air. "Not now. Not ever." Because...that's what Prime was really saying, wasn't he?

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Cade's apology was gentle, but welcomed. Optimus' stare shifted all the way back toward its usual gentle gaze, though the autobot continued to gaze at him solemnly. Cade had never met another creature who accepted apologies so easily, so quickly. Not even Bee, though he always had been a sensitive little dude.

Humans fucked up all the time. Like Cade had said, it was in their nature. He liked to think humans had more in them than just continuous failings-and that maybe one of the best things he had done in his life was screw up and haul the junker truck to his barn. Cade knew he wasn't the greatest guy, he was pretty shitty in fact. He knew plenty of other people too, who would screw someone over if they had to.

But there was _love _in the autobots. Love, and intelligence and loyalty. Especially from Optimus, who had settled back into his protective role over helping humanity best he and his species could. Cade didn't understand how anyone could look at them and side with the decepticons, whose greatest joys were to spread misery and pain and keep humanity in their claws. Well, not _all _decepticons, and to be honest, Cade had met some shitty autobots, too. Some _still _didn't trust humans—not that he could blame them—but Optimus usually let others speak their mind unless it was something negative about Cade or his family.

"Thanks, okay? Thank you." Cade couldn't help it, there was just something…_ enchanting _about the autobots. The only other wonder he could compare it to was the day he got to hold his baby girl. The mechanical, magical aliens were the greatest thing this engineer had ever seen.

And Optimus Prime was the most stunning of them all.

Cade clambered a few feet down, hissing as the world spun. He turned, carefully, rubbing the bump on his head and squinting into the darkness. Most of Optimus' frame was hidden, buried under the rocks and rubble, and what Cade could see was pretty dented and dirtied.

"_Shit, _Optimus." Cade hissed in growing concern and guilt. The Prime followed the human's gaze, so that his optics illuminated the damage. The commander seemed mildly surprised, as if he hadn't taken stock of his own situation yet and didn't realize he was stuck so badly. He gave an experimental jerk and suddenly stiffened, which was so unlike the Prime that Cade almost had kittens right there. The human took a deep breath, and geared himself for field medic mode. It was a good way to keep himself sane, even if he didn't need to keep Optimus calm.

"Can you…can you move? You gotta get up and out of there, buddy." Cade started coaxing. He was relieved when the robot immediately began to try to shift and drag himself free.

Cade moved to help, what little good it felt like he was doing. He used his own weight to keep a boulder rolling, which freed enough of Prime's legs and finally, with a great, irritated growl, Optimus was sitting up and scooting back from the pile he had been under. The dirt and sand and rocks scattered to fill the loss his body left behind. Meanwhile Cade winced in sympathy, knowing that for all the dents he could see by the light of those optics, there were many more his human eye could not make out in the dark.

Cade sucked in all his air, then blew it out through his nose.

"Okay. We got you out. Good. Can you-can you stand? Or-" Cade followed Prime's meaningful glance to the unstable ceiling.

"Uh, nevermind. Yeah, we don't want all that coming down on top of us." Cade paused sheepishly. "Again."

"There is enough room for me to transform." Optimus decided after a moment, and despite his battered exterior, he smoothly shifted back to the shape of the semi.

"Oh-good!" Cade brightened up a bit, watching with a relieved look. Even in this moment, he never got tired of the effortlessness of the bots' shifts to and from alt modes. They did it as easily as he would pull on a hoodie, but the process was infinitely more complex yet still fluid, powerful.

Optimus flicked on his lights, and Cade could finally get a good look at the cave.

"Looks like we fell a few more feet than I thought. There's a bunch of clay...mm. Huh." Cade stood, hands on hips and chewing his lower lip in thought.

"My internal mapping system is acting faulty-likely due to my horn malfunctioning. I cannot tell where this cave begins or ends."

"No, but I'm not _completely _useless either." He stuck a finger in his mouth, winced at the dirt but popped it out and held it up. "It's...slight, but there's air flow from that way. C'mon big guy, I'll go first. If it gets to small for you, we'll come back here and try another opening." Cade choose the biggest one he could find, wondering how long it had been here.

"This one looks promising. Sure wish Grimlock was here though, he could at least make a path for you."

"Hnnh, yes, and bring down the rest of the place at the same time." The semi rolled into neutral and ambled carefully after him.

Cade snorted, always taking great delight whenever Optimus made a wiseass remark. They were few and far between, which somehow made them that much funnier.

They went slowly. At least, by Transformer standards, they did.

Prime wasn't as speed driven as Bee, nor as sharply aggressive as Drift, so he stayed mostly silent as they edged through the old, winding cavern. They came across a few dead ends, and a few more forks, each time using Cade's finger-in-mouth-trick to figure out where fresh air was coming in from. It worked, and it worked rather well. Only an hour or so had passed when Prime noticed a bubbling, churning noise that only running water could make. Cade noticed it too.

"Hey...up ahead, you hear that?" Cade paused midstep, cocking his head toward the noise. "Sounds like water, lots of it."

"Underground waterways are common in these places, are they not?"

"Rivers and streams? I guess so, yeah. Not as dry as Texas, at least not during this time of the year." Cade hummed, and hurried his pace. "And uh, not for nothing, I'm kind of...really thirsty." Being nearly buried alive does that to a guy.

Optimus stayed in a low gear, cruising sedately after the man. The autobot leader kept a watchful eye on Cade as the man waded into the shallow, clear pool up to his calves. He bent down, scooping some up and splashing it against his face, rubbing now cool hands over his sweaty and sore neck.

"God, it feels amazing." Cooling, without being chilling. "Wanna come in, big rig? It'll get the junk out of your lower joints."

"I'm fine, thank you Cade." Prime turned him down gently. The semi swung forward and around the pool, studying the height of the ceiling closely before he began to shift outward and upward. Prime had to stay half bent over, but he sat down gingerly against the rock wall, between the pool and the entrance. He still wasn't picking up anything overly suspicious, but if they had been trapped down here on purpose there was little reason for Prime to _not _be on guard.

Cade wandered over with sloshing steps to inspect the waterfall. It was steady, making a soothing ringing noise and the water was sweet, refreshing. He spent a few more minutes washing his arms and hands best he could before he meandered back over to the bank.

He was absolutely aware of the luminous optics on him the entire time, but he only met them when he was a few feet from the resting mech. Cade shot Prime a soothing smile, his limp mostly gone.

"How ya feeling?"

"Sore." Prime admitted, then gestured to himself. "But more...internally."

Cade nodded, thin lipped.

"Yeah, I'm pissed too. Someone pulled a fast one on us, big rig. Bastards."

Prime nodded silently.

"Awh, don't look so down, buddy." Cade patted his hand affectionately on the autobot leader's thigh, then stuck his boot in the plating of Prime's body and boosted himself up. "We'll get out of this, don't we always?"

"Yes, that is true." Optimus waited and watched as Cade helped himself to perching on Prime's knee. He was grateful for the closeness, for the air of causality Cade had when it came to interacting with Prime. He threatened, scolded, teased and generally treated Prime as if they had been friends for years. Were someone unaware of their close bond get the chance to view it, they might consider that he generally made himself a nuisance when it came to Prime. Those who knew Prime but did not know Cade were often mortified, some even bordering on horror. Yeager's warm familiarity to the leader of the mighty race almost seemed rude to them. After all, Optimus wasn't just another autobot, he was a _Prime _. Those who knew them both, however, didn't even bat an eye or an optic. With Cade, Prime was different. And those allowances went both ways, certainly.

With Cade, Optimus Prime would be just a bit more weak.

"Cade, I...have been meaning to talk to you." Prime started, speaking as carefully as he usually did. When he saw the human turn to look up at him, Prime cleared his pipes, almost awkwardly. "And now seems like a good a time as any. I'm sure you've noticed, lately, my protective instincts have been a bit...more intense."

"I hadn't noticed." Cade muttered dryly, pointing to the biggest dent that came from protecting Cade earlier. This at least caused Prime to snort, and relax a bit.

"There is a reason for that. I wanted to make sure you knew, incase I was overstepping a boundary." Prime shook his head, sounding mournful. "The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you through my ignorance."

"Jeez-big rig, you've never hurt me. You mean like-like _emotionally _? Fuck, Prime. No." Cade frowned and stood up, still perched on the bot's bent knee. He leaned forward, fearlessly balanced on both palms against Prime's wide chest plates.

"You know I'd freak out if you ever made me uncomfortable. Or, or pissed or whatever." Aside from Prime ignoring Cade's pleas to save himself, there really wasn't any red letter thing that Cade could pinpoint where he had exploded on Prime. Just how long had his leader been mulling over this?

"You're my best friend, Optimus." Cade started seriously, thinking he was helping soothing the Prime's frazzled nerves. Optimus' metal fingers twitched, out of sight of the human.

"Yes. Friends." Prime tasted the word and, despite the twist of pain to his spark, he smiled anyway. "You mean very much to me as well, Cade Yeager."

The words from Prime made Cade's face split into a wide grin, betraying his exhaustion. Optimus was always so gentle and patient, but he seemed to have a bit extra when it came to Cade-that was a pretty big stroke to the ego, actually.

They fell into their usual, amicable silence. If Cade closed his eyes-which he noticed was suddenly very tempting-he could imagine they were in the barn. Safe, with Cade at his desk and Prime across from him in alt mode, that boring classical music he always seemed to listen to pouring from his windows. The heat of the afternoon lingering outside the shelter of the barn, keeping it cool until twilight came and crickets and peepers murmured awake.

But they weren't in the lab. And the sudden, hard chill of the underground cavern broke Cade from his wistful thinking. He let a shiver run over his body, and scooted shamelessly closer to Prime's towering frame. He hoped Tess wasn't worried. He hoped Drift and Crosshairs hadn't blown up the bot's bays in the back pasture. Mostly, he hoped they could get out of this situation quick and with little fanfare. Cade grunted, trying to force himself back awake, and also to get Prime's attention.

"You tell me if I ever hurt you too, okay buddy?" Cade made the bot promise to it, but his stern look was broken by a sudden yawn.

Optimus softened more, finally bringing his hand up and curling it protectively round Cade's back. Cade leaned back into it, letting it guide him down.

"Of course." Prime agreed, satisfying the sleepy human, noting it was easier than usual. Cade was never more docile than when he was exhausted. Prime checked his internal clock, set to earth's time, and answered his own question.

"It is late. You should rest. It will only do your body and mind good." Prime felt like closing the matter here was a good idea. Yes, perhaps Cade had misunderstood his words, but he had responded in a manner that assured Prime the human _did _love him. Perhaps not as deeply as Prime was hoping-but he had learned to take what he could get.

And having Cade in any capacity was worth its weight in gold to this autobot.

"Uhm, yeah," Cade yawned again, nose scrunched. Prime's finger rubbed up and down the man's spine, as if coaxing him to relax more. It wasn't necessary, he was pretty close to checking out-but damn if the big guy wasn't comforting as all hell.

"Sleep." Prime commanded. "I'm not tired, and would not want to recharge anyway. I will keep watch."

"Gunna stay in your normal mode?" Cade mumbled, scooting down to curl up against Prime's hand, mostly on his leg but head pillowed into Prime's warm palm.

"Yes. I can better deal with an advancing threat, even if I have less room to move." Optimus explained, lowering his volume and unable to stop the faint smile when Cade's blinks became farther and farther apart.

"S'good idea," Cade muttered, already half gone. "Awright….hn, wake me...if ya need sumthin…"

"Good night, Cade."

Optimus waited until Cade was asleep before closing his fingers over him, a sort of living, metal blanket.

* * *

Dawn came.

At least, Optimus presumed it did. Cade certainly wouldn't have a clue, because for one thing, he slept through it. For another, he and his guardian were still deep underground, resting by the hidden waterfall they had found the night before. Optimus let Cade sleep as close to a full eight hours as the man could get, though it only ended up being about five. Nothing and no one attacked them, but that didn't mean nothing wouldn't come later. Especially once they got out of this cave. It was a common trap, a way to guide prey toward a place the attacker set up beforehand. An ambush like this was also distinctly Decepticon like-which wasn't surprising but a little bit annoying. Prime stayed on guard the entire time, while also knowing that the real trouble would likely come later, as it usually did.

Cade woke by himself, rolling over instinctively and giving a surprised, sleepy snort when he smacked himself into the length of Prime's fingers and palm. Cade had shifted during sleep, stretched out like he was on his bed at home. Prime's arm and hand made up the only 'wall' of Cade's position. Optimus looked down in surprise at the thud, then relaxed when he saw what had happened and allowed a small vent of exhaust to mimic a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Cade muttered, voice sounding squished before he peeled himself back and rolled the other way. Now back onto Prime's thigh and able to get his bearings, Cade stretched wearily, looking stiff.

"Wish we were back home." Cade mumbled, and Prime nodded. In this instance, he knew what the man meant. He was referring to their usual routine. After Prime managed to get him to go into the rebuilt farmhouse and sleep, (if he managed this at all, and Cade hadn't crawled into his cab to catch some z's,) then Cade would get up in the morning with the dawn. Partly because he didn't sleep well, and partly because he knew Optimus was already up watching the sun rise. Cade would get up when he heard Prime's coaxing rumbles of greeting through his window. Then the man would shuffle to the bathroom, shuffle out and, half asleep, would just. Crawl through the opened window and drop onto Prime's waiting palm, as calm as if he were taking the stairs. The next time Cade would be back on the ground would be when Optimus lowered him in front of the barn's coffee maker, where he would wait eagerly for the first of many cups.

But they _weren't _back home, and no blessed coffee machine was going to wake Cade up this morning. He was stiffer than the night before, unsurprisingly, and he had to force himself to wade into the cool water to kick his brain online. He shivered, making a general, annoyed racket to himself as he shook off the sleep and then the icy shock of his bath.

"Don't get a chill." Optimus warned calmly as he finished shifting back to alt mode. He reversed and adjusted his angle, head lights illuminating the cavern's ambling tunnel they had yet to explore. It was a promising one, wide mouthed and looking like it steadily inclined a few yards in.

"Not the plan." Cade said, hurrying back out and scurrying over to the shelter of Prime's wide flank.

They headed down the far tunnel, walking side by side for quite a few minutes. Prime swung open his door once, a silent offering that Cade turned down. The more he was walking the more his body was stretching out, and he was already feeling a tiny bit claustrophobic enough without worrying about adding the closeness of Prime's cab, no matter how warm it was.

"Hey, I'm thinkin' we're getting close to daylight." Cade spoke up after an hour or so of walking. He sounded tired, and his limp was only a little bit better. Optimus gave a noise of agreement, but soon had to hit the brakes and slow to a tentative crawl on his tires. Before them, the path narrowed abruptly.

"I'll go first. You better take it slow, Prime. The ceiling's sure getting low." Cade said. As if on cue there was a tell tale cry of metal on rock. The semi jerked short, then sank down tightly over the tires.

"Hey, Optimus, look!" Cade couldn't help it. Once he was sure Prime was fitting-albeit slowly and very closely-he picked up the pace and hurried for the exit back to daylight, back to fresh air and freedom.

Prime was distracted, having to pick himself over rocks and wincing when his pipes grated annoyingly along the lower parts of the ceiling. Rocks and stalagmites were simply run over, Prime's engines puffing in the tight, warm space.

"Cade-are you out?" He called, noticing the trail turned sharply. But it had also opened up wider, letting Prime hit the gas and plow forward and upward to the last turn before he sensed bright, wonderful sunlight.

It was then he noticed he hadn't received an answer from his usually talkative, lively human.

"Cade?!"

Optimus turned the corner, and came grill to barrel of Barricade's blaster.

In his steel black claws was Cade, his face tight, jaw set and looking as murderous as the decepticon holding him hostage. When Cade struggled or shifted, those claws tightened, and Cade's grunts were cut off quickly. He hadn't even a chance to warn the autobot, not to mention he was already hurting from the cave in. Prime's engines growled sharply, but Barricade only laughed back at him, his large figure blocking the sunlight of the opening. He had been waiting, a ship hovering patiently outside to take them Primus knew where.

The 'local yokel' Prime had heard about earlier over the radio suddenly made sense, and he cursed himself for not making the connection beforehand.

"Follow us, nice and easy, Prime." Barricade gestured with his canon, then pressed it to the temple of Cade's head when Prime balked.

"And I _won't _splatter your little pet all over the rocks."

* * *

_Cade's like. what. 5'8 (Whalberg is) and Primes, what, 22 feet? my gf says Cade is Prime's angry lil chihuahua that he has to pick up and tuck in his handbag. like, shes not wrong but the realization still made me choke. _


	2. Dynamic

_**Author's Notes: **_**I listen to Space Trip IV on youtube when I work on this. It's a perfect mood for the setting. At least until shit starts getting worse for our two lovelies~**

* * *

_"What Prime had, what made him great, it wasn't that he was so strong—even though he was. It was that he could talk... and what he said, it made you feel as strong as he was." -Ironhide _

**Chapter 2. Dynamic**

Cade slammed his palms against the bars of the cell, trying to jostle or shake them. Try to make a little noise, show them all he was mad. That he was, in fact, _fucking pissed_.

"_Hey! _You just gunna leave us in here, huh?! Like we're a coupla' worthless animals?!" But no amount of banging the bars, or cursing or name calling was getting any of the ugly cons to engage with him. They had no guards, and only a few were walking by at all. And when they did, they certainly paid Cade no attention. They were more gawking at the Autobot commander leaning against the back wall, arms folded and staring them all down.

No one met Prime's gaze for long, but Cade needed to cool down for several minutes before he noticed this.

"Cade, you are going to injure yourself. Stop." Optimus finally spoke when he noticed they were finally alone. The autobot frowned when Cade rounded on him, and lowered his voice to something less commanding and more coaxing.

"Come here." Prime murmured, and while it was still with an authoritative tone, it was warmer than before.

The human's hesitation and anger began to trickle from his features, and he obeyed. He still glared up at the autobot, though, his feathers ruffled for both their sakes.

"This is bullshit, Prime. Are you fucking kidding me? Where are they even taking us? Why didn't..." Cade stopped his questions, letting a moment of meaningful silence hang between them. The silence stretched for an uncomfortable beat too long.

_'Why didn't Barricade just __**kill me**__and then go for you?' _

The blatant reason was that Barricade wanted Optimus in this cell. But Cade had been thrown in with him. There was another reason that allowed Cade to live, and he had a bad feeling it was going to continue to be as collateral. To keep Prime doing what he was told. Cade felt his stomach twist painfully, at the thought of the proud leader having to take orders from these fuckers, these traitors, all because of him.

Cade wasn't worth all this, yet Optimus disagreed and unfortunately, so did Megatron. That was the worst part of all this.

"I don't like this either, Cade. The warp jump could have taken us anywhere in your galaxy, or even beyond it. As for Megatron's scheme…" Prime shook his head in frustration, causing Cade to spot the leader's still half broken horn. A bitter reminder that even if Prime _did _get reception this far away, he couldn't use it to reach so far back to Earth, to his team.

"I'm just glad you're alright. And I promise, we will return you to Earth." Prime said, which Cade returned the soft look with one of his own. He closed the distance now, patting the bot's ankle.

"Sure! C'mon, stupid old Barricade wasn't gunna do shit. I'm gunna be just fine." '_As long as I'm with you.' _

Optimus fell silent, nodding.

"If someone enters our cell, I want you to stay behind me." It was Prime's no nonsense tone, and Cade didn't even joke or argue. He nodded this time, then rubbed his jaw tiredly and went back to pacing the cell like an angry tiger. It was big. Big enough for a con or bot, but not very wide. This one in particular was double barred, with thinner ones between the thick ones. Even if Optimus could remove the slim ones (which Cade had a feeling was going to impossible to do silently) then only Cade would be able to slip out. Barricade had warned them of how many Decepticons were on the ship, and how easy it would be for a single shot to stop any escape attempts made by the human.

And even if Cade managed to slip free, Optimus had already ordered him to stick close.

Cade kicked a black, reinforced wall just to make himself feel better. All it did was make a muffled clunk, the dull sound of his steel toed boots reminding him how empty his stomach was. The last thing he had put in it was the sweet mountain water. Which, while tasty, wasn't exactly food. He would need to get Prime to access his many compartments to get his tool bag, which hopefully had a granola bar or something.

"_Dammit _." Cade cursed, finally ending back up by Optimus during his storming.

"This is it, huh? We just gotta sit here? Waiting and rotting?" Cade asked up to his friend. The leader was silent, but folded a knee under him. His head lowered in closer, gorgeous optics drawing Cade in without hesitation. Cade didn't let himself be distracted long though, because no sooner had Optimus settled did he see the gaping, metallic wound of Prime's damaged horn. Cade reached out, his hand giving an absent gesture of 'tilt your head' and Optimus did. Cade busied himself with fiddling with Prime's broken horn.

"Do not under estimate waiting. We will wait until Megatron comes to us. If he has a plan in mind, he will want to work fast. The longer we are gone from Earth, the more the autobots will start looking to the skies for answers." Prime explained as he stayed in his bent down position.

"Right. And if I can get your radio back up and working, all the easier for them to find our sorry asses." Cade wrenched a little too hard on a wire that was thick as his thumb, and Prime twitched.

"Sorry, big rig." Cade soothed his hands over the sensitive, frayed edge of the wiring, and Prime relaxed, leaning in closer to assure Cade of his trust. He studied the ragged cavity and worn cables and frowned, lips stuck out in a thoughtful pout.

"Frag. Even with the tools I stashed behind your seat, this is a big fix." Cade remarked, sounding disappointed. "Look, is it still hurting? Yeah? Okay, then I'm gunna cut off the connections. I mean, why keep it on if it's just gunna cause you pain?"

Optimus was silent, which Cade took as his cue to keep working. He had only just begun tucking the salvageable cords away into Prime's casing when he heard something big and metal approach. Prime noticed it before Cade, and the mech suddenly moved and stood up, without a warning. He took a step closer to the front of the cell, and grimly reminded Cade about staying close. For once, Cade didn't have to be told twice. Their visitors sounded big.

"Here's Prime's cell." The Decepticon was bulky, splashes of blue, white and green covering its metal hide. Cade didn't recognize him, though when tried to picture the alt forms he did know, he recognized one as having been on earth. Cade turned up to Prime, catching the mech's gaze with a confused knit of his brow.

"Onslaught." Prime muttered, acknowledging the con and also helping Cade put a name to a face.

"And Berserker." He addressed the shorter, square shaped con who was on Onslaught's right, his gun laying casually across his arms.

"The once mighty leader of the autobots, and now his weakness is that little vermin down there." Berserker gave a throaty laugh as he gestured to Cade, who whipped back around to fix the con with a glare of his own.

"Fuck off." He hissed back like a startled cat, but any surprise from the cons turned rapidly to more mocking laughter.

"Ey, gotta' set a fangs on this one." Berserker observed with a sick grin that made Cade's stomach twist. "That'll be good. Keep things interesting in your_ ~new home." _

"Cade's home is Earth." Now Prime spoke up, turning his posture to take a step in front of the human, effectively blocking him from view.

"I will stay with you-but let him go, and I will do whatever you ask of me."

Cade yelped when he realized what Prime had just offered. And so quickly! He was already uneasy and not liking the way Prime just rolled over and showed his belly. Oh, sure, every autobot and human teammate knew Prime was a self-sacrificing moron, but Cade didn't think it was _this _bad.

Prime's courageous words only caused more snickering and guffaws. Optimus didn't seem surprised, as he expected this gambit to not work. But hopefully the plea would earn him some answers...

_"Let 'im go!? _Lord Megatron wanted that fleshbag _especially_." Onslaught sneered, leaning toward the bars of the cage. "Starscream said it'd never work-said we should just pick an autobot, like that little yellow scrapheap."

Cade bristled at the backhand to Bee, but heard Prime give him a warning grunt.

"Ehh, what the frag does Star know? Lord Megatron was right. Barricade said you followed him in easy as energon goes down. And those fleshbags are _so _breakable. Much easier than subduing an autobot." Onslaught spoke casually, bouncing his gun with far to casual air, the muzzle aimed at Cade until Optimus took another defensive step to the left to block him protectively from view. For an instant, there was a faint flicker of surprise even on Onslaught's ugly face. Berserker kept prattling on though, apparently enjoying lording what he knew over Prime-which was exactly what Prime was hoping for.

"That's right, he said the squishy thing was the best way to ensure Optimus Prime 'behaved for his new owner.'" Berserker agreed, then attempted what he must have thought was sage advice,

"Keep that anger, _Orion Pax, _because you'll need it soon enough. Your softness and flowery speeches won't save you where _you're _going." The name was spit like a curse and a warning, and Cade was aware of the way Prime seemed struck briefly by the two words.

The Con's lurched off, their heavy clanks causing the floor of the little ship to shiver well until they were out of sight and round the hall.

Optimus exvented sharply, his irritation showing as a puff of steam left his nose and lips. But after a moment he relaxed backwards, falling from his defensive posture as Cade stepped out from behind him.

"You wanna tell me what the hell _that _was about?" Cade almost didn't know what to address first, so he planted his fists on his hips and cocked a brow at the unresponsive bot. Prime's optics gave a shutter, then he swung his torso away and stepped over to the large metal bench in the back of the cage. He sat heavily upon it, as it was transformer sized. Cade couldn't even see the top of it, but he walked over anyway, waiting impatiently. Optimus wasn't getting off that easily.

"You promise me we're getting home and then the first chance you get you're about to fly solo? Thanks a lot."

"I was _trying _to get them to talk." Optimus admitted with a warning growl. Regardless of his tone, he reached down and let Cade climb into his palm. He straightened himself up, turning the arm toward the steel bench he was resting on, but Cade settled down in the warm palm and stayed planted. Prime's own metal brow twitched at this firm position, and instead brought his hand to rest over his legs. He stared down at the human sitting safely in his hold.

"By saying it was ok for them to separate us? I'm not going home without you!" Cade protested. "I mean for one thing, the bots would go to pieces. _Tessa _would freak out, oh and Lennox might go for my head if he hears-"

"Our family is important," Prime interrupted with a nod of agreement. "But they are **not **the ones who make the call about your wellbeing right now."

That, apparently, was Prime's job and one he seemed pretty sensitive about. His statement was cutting and firm, that powerful alpha mode that did something to Cade's stomach. The only time he can remember those butterflies flapping their tiny wings in him was when Emily would pull him over her in bed, wanting to keep him from leaving it and knowing she could if she wanted to be held.

But Emily, of course, was long gone.. Cade was briefly unsettled that his brain-or was it his heart?-had been drawing odd parallels between Emily and Optimus increasingly lately. Huh. Cade elected to ignore this development for now, shooting Prime a dark, unamused look.

"...You're sweet, big rig. But hell, you can be _so dumb _sometimes." Cade ran a frustrated hand through his hair and shook his head.

"Forget this. It didn't work. Don't try it again, or I'm dismantling your energon sword." As if Optimus Prime was someone to be bossed around. Yet Cade knew Prime was listening to him, and he knew that _Prime _knew that Cade's words were born of worry and fear over Prime's wellbeing.

"And let me back up there, I wanna make sure I shut off your energon supply to your receptors, since we got interrupted by Peaches and Herb earlier."

Optimus knew a diversion when he saw one, but he snorted in amusement at Cade's comments. After all, Cade always felt better when he could keep his hands busy. Prime obliged, lifting his hand obediently until he felt Cade hop over to his curving shoulder plates and lean on them to steady himself.

"So what did you hear that I didn't? Sounded to me like they just wanted to gloat." Cade said after a few minutes of silence.

"I'm afraid not as much as I hoped. We are obviously no longer near Earth, or even its neighboring planets. We are going to a destination that will likely involve being left there, and I know its not Cybertron for...obvious reasons." Optimus shifted guiltily. "Megatron is calculating, and this feels like something he has been working on for a long time. I know it involves you, yet nothing to harm you."

"Oh, gee, if I see him I'll be sure to thank him. Hey, lean back, I can't-got it. Thanks." Cade mulled over Prime's words as he finished adjusting the more delicate, energon filled strands that once powered Prime's receivers and antenna.

"How d'ya figure all this, Prime?"

"Because they let you stay with me. They want me to know where you are, how you're doing. We aren't chained up, either. They know I won't let you leave my sight, and they know if I know where you are, I won't risk escaping to find you." Prime snarled to himself, causing Cade to pause mid rewire, but quickly assured the human he wasn't growling at him. Cade's warm, clever hands buried themselves back in Prime's gaping injury and were soon back to work.

"Right. Okay, all good points. Worrying, but good." Cade said, finishing but stayed where he was, stroking his hands over Prime's healing metal thoughtfully. He was sure he wasn't imagining it this time, the subtle way Prime leaned fondly into his touches, or the low hum of his engines in his chest. It sounded like a cat's purr, albeit forty something times that size. He could just see the edges of Prime's metal lids and shutters on his right optic and noticed they were closing just a bit, too. Watching the way Optimus let him explore and run his hands over what was sore metal, and the acceptance and kinda cute little noises he was getting from the big guy, made Cade move on to the next subject.

"Me and Lennox had a talk once, big rig. About you, about how you...you protect _all _humans. But how you aren't like Bee, or even Ironhide or...uh, almost any of the others. Before Cemetery Wind, I mean. Years ago, when you first came to Earth in the 80's, I guess….?" Cade didn't say what he meant. _'Before humans royally fucked you over and betrayed and slaughtered so many of your family.' _

"You're...your own transformer." He hoped Prime understood his words.

"I am a Prime, yes." Optimus rumbled, sounding rather distracted by Cade's ministrations. "We are different from other autobots, if that's what you mean."

"No, no not in that way. I mean-yes-you're _definitely _a Prime, at least what little I know a Prime is like. But it was more your...personal choices in company. _Human _company." Cade hoped Optimus would respond, but the autobot remained staring forward, resolute.

"You never seemed to pick a human. One to-that you, yanno. Hung out with. Lived with." Cade fumbled over his words, feeling clumsy and unsure. Like he was a hunter about to spook a buck in the woods. Like if he pointed it out, Optimus would reject him and withdraw his sense of guardianship over Cade Yeager. Cade's stomach sank as Prime only turned to half look at him, a single optic illuminating the man's front.

"So why me, huh?" Cade whispered suddenly, wanting this moment to be for only the two of them. The optic on him shuttered closed, softly, but stayed focused on him as Prime listened. "Why'd you pick me? You_ did _pick me, right? I mean, maybe _I'm _the one stepping over boundaries now but you and I seem pretty damn close-"

"You are not overstepping." Optimus assured easily. "I do see myself as your guardian, Cade. Over the Yeager family. What is yours is mine to protect. But _you _are the one who protected me, first."

Cade lapsed into amazed and slightly stunned silence. Well, he hadn't thought about it like that. Especially since he had originally wanted to take what he thought was a dead autobot apart, learn it, then sell it for a boatload to the very government that was trying to kill Optimus and his family. And the leader knew that, Cade had been honest with him. But Prime still said what he had. And Optimus never said shit he didn't mean. The human was touched, clearly, but one look at their surroundings and his warm fuzzies curdled to a bitter, ashamed realization.

"...now I know _why _you didn't choose someone. In all those years." Cade gave his own growl, sounding infinitely smaller than Prime's deep baritone. "First one you give special attention to, and we're ambushed and hauled off to Fuck-Knows-Where, only half a year after the damn England incident."

Optimus opened his mouth to respond, only to be cut off by a familiar snarling pitch.

"It certainly made my plan go smoothly, yes."

Cade groaned, even as a growl from Optimus rippled through his frame and he lunged to his feet. Cade swore quietly, fumbling to grab hold of Prime's shoulder plating, the curving section that framed his helm, and steadied himself.

"Megatron." Prime spit.

Megatron indeed, looking pointer and blockier than Cade remembered. Still, Optimus himself had taken a new form just after they met. But the defining features stayed the same, and so did Megatron's, who seemed to have finally shaken KSI's modeling. Galvatron was fully and utterly gone, and Megatron fully and wickedly revived. Starscream followed behind, looking sour and bitchy as always.

"I should be thanking the human, shouldn't I, Prime? Barricade told me he even got you to walk right into the first layer of my trap, instead of making it messy. You aren't usually so careless."

"Does he have to rub it in?" Cade grumbled under his breath, but was ignored.

"That's just what Megatron does." Prime shot back, earning a surprised chuckle from Cade at the autobot's jab.

"You should be more like Starscream and I-what would I call him in human terms? My bitch?" Megatron pondered airily, causing Starscream to gnash his teeth, but it was nothing compared to Prime's response.

Cade felt Prime's plating flare out, and he heard the tell tale sign of his face guard sliding to cover his nose and mouth. It tightened into place with a quiet thunk of finality, and Cade moaned as Optimus took a threatening step forward.

"Prime-Optimus, wait, _stoppit_." Cade breathed, gripping the bot's curved crest as if that alone could stop him. He could see Starscream's tasers held eagerly out, could see how this would end. And, miraculously, Optimus did halt. His face plating stayed on, but at least he hadn't given in to Megatron's bait.

"Yesss, obey your little pet there. Though I think you've forgotten the way master and pet are supposed to work, Prime." Megatron teased, enjoying the angry pitches of Prime's engines as they kicked back on threateningly.

"_Anyway_, I came here to let you in a little secret. It's the least I can do, as gracious a ruler as I am."

"Yeah, you an Mother Teresa," went a snide human from the safety of Prime's shoulder. Optimus spared an amused noise once more, meeting Megatron's gaze challengingly.

Megatron's smirk flickered but he quickly masked it.

"You and your little fleshbag are heading to an old stomping ground of mine. A new one but the same idea rings true. A planet called Combatron, just past the remains of our first moon, Prime." He waited a cool, frozen seconds before snidely asking, "Do you understand, yet?"

"Combatron…" Optimus sounded the name, then bristled. "Our colony that King Atlas-? That planet is devoid of life, Megatron-_if you are sending us there to die _-"

"Oh no, I wouldn't dream of it! Besides, what true Prime would be snuffed out in such a morbid, boring way? The planet has recently been...re-colonized. By all sorts of interesting lifeforms, some of my Decepticons are there now, waiting eagerly for your arrival.

_You're _going to be the new star attraction in our Coliseum."

Cade let his features shift to shock, jaw dropping a little as Prime shifted beneath him, as if he were suddenly feeling uneasy. Megatron either noticed, or didn't care, and went on grandly.

"Talk about a blaze of glory, Optimus! I would think you'd be excited! You will get to live as **I **did-a gladiator to fight until death! Although, I _do _want to make it sporting. For me, that is."

"In what way?" Prime finally ground out, body tense like a steam train.

"Should you last-oh, off the top of my helm-a mere four rounds in the coliseum, we will let you and your pet return to earth to live your lives...for the time being."

"My autobots will stop you, Megatron. The instant you attack and we do not appear, they will know." Optimus snapped icily.

"Which is why I'm not going to launch an attack until I know for sure you're dead. Don't think I don't see that broken comm link, dear Optimus. I'll admit that was a stroke of luck, but regardless one I'm going to take full advantage of. I **said **you could come back to Earth-but I wonder, what shape you'll be in when you arrive?" Megatron's optics turned onto Cade, fully, who went instinctively still at the stare.

"Will you both arrive _at all?"_

Optimus gave a warning snarl, the noise more machine than animal.

"And if I refuse? Someone on that planet will understand my plight, if it is mixed races." Prime argued sharply.

"I'm sure they would, were you allowed to speak with any of them. Combraton is a wicked, wonderful nest of the best of the worst. And only Cons and those dumber races we've trapped will be in the cells around the coliseum. You're a Prime, oldest friend! Finally, you will be fulfilling your **true purpose**-to fight, to conquer! You can finally end the Prime lineage and honor it at the same time! Weak hearted fool that you are, I think it will do you some good to go back to your...roots, shall we say."

Starscream, who had remained largely silent up until now, suddenly addressed a beeping to his communication link. He turned, speaking soft Cybertronian into it, before turning to Megatron and relaying that they were almost there.

"Remember, Prime, one wrong move and my decepticons will kill your human. Of course, you could easily free yourself by letting it die, you know...the option is always available. What's one human to you, anyway?"

Optimus made an ugly, irritated growl and simply turned away from Megatron. Cade of course, went with him, stumbling a bit at the bot's sharp twist to glare furiously at the back wall.

A moment later, and they were alone again. The ship around the hold they were in began to make different noises, signaling it was descending. There were no windows, nothing to give them any hints or clues as to their exact location. Their cage grew blue darke in sporadic flutters, power shifting from lights as the ship began to land.

A metal hand rose, palm open and waiting. Cade stepped into it, and walked off onto the bench Prime lowered him to. The silence was deafening, and all too soon Cade couldn't handle it.

"Prime?" Cade ventured, finally reaching out to lay his hand over the nearest section of plating, no higher than Prime's knee. He was going for comforting, and now realizing he was far more tactile than his guardian ever was. And also realizing that Optimus never moved or discouraged Cade's touching, not once, since they had gotten closer.

"What did Megatron mean-that last part? Your...lineage?" Cade was seeing the bigger picture here and it made ice fill his veins. He swallowed, throat tight. But he waited. If Prime didn't want to tell him, Cade wasn't going to blame the big guy. and for a long while it seemed like he wasn't going to. Then the proud being spoke.

"I...am Optimus Prime. The first Prime chosen legitimately by the Matrix of Leadership in thousands of years, which I now carry alongside my spark. I am the autobot commander.

For the good or ill, I am the last of my kind." Optimus turned his universe weary optics to meet the man's hazel ones.

The sadness in that voice, it resonated so deeply in Cade's chest he wanted to cry. If only because Optimus seemed unable, or unwilling to. But why the fuck _not_? That was a depressing statement, and if Prime was sure it was true, then that made it worse.

"...I'm so sorry, Optimus." Cade offered finally, using his gentlest tone. It made those glowing optics slide over to meet his, boring down until Cade's cheeks felt warm. Then the autobot leader, the last of his kind, Cade's guardian, reached out for him first. He began by curling his fingers and gliding the back of them down Cade's shoulders and side. The gesture was only a little hesitant, a little clumsy. Cade realized immediately what Prime was doing. Cade would reach out and stroke Prime's steering wheel, or run his knuckles over the alt mode's gleaming grill when he passed the semi and they were supposed to keep a low profile. Optimus was attempting the gesture back, equally trying to soothe Cade who was trying to comfort Prime. So Cade smiled, leaning bravely into the mighty hand and throwing an arm around Prime's pointer finger, hugging it to his ribcage encouragingly. When Optimus tilted his helm softly, Cade squeezed harder, his smile turning wider.

"Thank you, Cade."

Prime had said his name hundreds of times, but this was the first time since the the Knights tried to behead Prime, that Cade had heard his name stretched out so meaningfully. Again, the butterflies came back.

* * *

**What better way to get back at your ex than making them go through the hell you did? 9/10 petty revenge from Megs.**


End file.
